St Kilda responds as Caroline Wilson backlash explodes

St Kilda has weighed in as the severe backlash to Caroline Wilson’s divisive comments continues to set the footy world alight.

The criticism keeps coming for Caroline Wilson after she caused a stir with some controversial comments about St Kilda, as the club responded to the furore.

The respected AFL journalist said on TV on Monday Saints fans and sponsors had reason to be upset with Seb Ross and Tim Membrey after they missed a nailbiting six-point loss to Adelaide on the weekend for family reasons.

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Wilson also said some within the Saints organisation were disappointed with the players’ decision to return home after a loss to Sydney at the SCG two weeks ago.

Ross left to be with his partner, who gave birth to twins about five weeks ago, while Membrey skipped the clash in Cairns as his wife prepares to give birth shortly.

Wilson said there was “no medical emergency” with regards to the players’ families, adding she would question the decision of two senior stars to miss such an important game as St Kilda’s season hangs in the balance, particularly as she revealed the pair had been encouraged to stay on.

“It is a very odd situation when you have two leaders of the club, particularly one where the babies were born five or six weeks ago, to leave when this was probably their last shot at making finals,” Wilson said.

“I think supporters and sponsors and members and other teammates would have every right to be a bit disappointed.”

Melbourne legend Garry Lyon said on radio he was left “speechless” by Wilson’s criticism of Ross and Membrey, while plenty of others have since stuck the boot in.

Seb and Marnie Ross, with daughter Charlotte and twin sons Vinny and Henley

St Kilda responds

On Wednesday St Kilda CEO Matt Finnis addressed Wilson’s comments, which included the suggestion some senior figures at the Saints were uneasy with Membrey and Ross missing the Crows game.

Finnis told Gerard Whateley on SEN Radio “there are no misgivings” about the pair’s decision, but added: “What I will say is that like any organisation that’s in a highly competitive industry, we debate these decisions. But ultimately, once decisions are made, we get behind the players and we give them our support and we get on with our business.”

Asked if senior leaders asked Membrey and Ross to stay with the team, Finnis said: “What we did was to check if there’s anything more that the club could do to help the guys feel support.

“I think our players know, and we’ve got a pretty consistent record of this as a footy club, is that we’ll always put family first and they’ll be supported with those decisions.”

Finnis denied there is a “significant level of disappointment in Seb Ross at the club”.

“You can be disappointed, but you can be understanding. I don’t think emotions are mutually exclusive,” Finnis said. “As a CEO, I’d love to have our best players on the park, but I do that every week.

“But as a father, I also understand that we’ve got to prioritise what we know is important with our families. No one can know that except for the family themselves.

“I just feel like sometimes we can have a lack of empathy about that in the way in which these things are discussed.”

Finnis said he’d spoken to Wilson and voiced concerns about her naming a player’s partner and mentioning there were no medical issues when “none of us can be fully aware of that context”.

“They shouldn’t be with the team once they’ve made the decision. Their families require them to be at home,” Finnis added when asked by Whateley if Ross and Membrey should have stayed on for the Adelaide game.

“We’d like to think that the football media can respect that you’re not always going to understand the intricacies of each individual.”

Tim Membrey and wife Emily.

‘Staggeringly wrong’: Footy condemns Caro

Speaking on The Sounding Board podcast, AFL reporter Damian Barrett said Wilson was out of line, claiming she “has a view that I am staggered by”.

“I thought it was extraordinarily poor from Caroline Wilson to go down this path, to ask questions and to, in her words … question their right to do so, questioning why and also shooting home some blame to those two individuals who made family decisions, put family first ahead of football,” Barrett said.

“It’s poor, I think it’s hypocritical, I think it’s staggeringly wrong.

“I thought as an industry … I thought we were becoming better educated on the need to respect people’s wishes when it came to putting their own lives and putting family ahead of kicking a football on a weekend.”

Barrett also questioned how Wilson could know what the partners of Ross and Membrey are experiencing, saying their feelings need to be taken into account when analysing why the St Kilda players went home.

“What about the players’ partners’ side of it? Are they just meant to be dealing with their problems too?” Barrett said.

“The man goes off and does the work and comes home and does what he can. Is that what we’re expected to believe here too?

“How could Caroline know what the respective partners of Seb Ross and Tim Membrey are going through?

“We’re coming out of the Covid period, where there was meant to be a conditioning — I thought anyway — of people’s issues when it comes to dealing with life.”

AFL Players Association boss Paul Marsh also blasted Wilson on social media.

“I’m shocked these outdated & ignorant views still exist within the industry,” Marsh tweeted. “The players have, & will continue to support the industry throughout the uncertainty of Covid, but there are times when family comes first. This should be supported not questioned.”

Richmond star Jack Riewoldt joined the chorus of criticism towards Wilson.

“I think it’s idiotic to be honest what we’re talking about here. I feel for their partners and their families having their personal life played out in front of the whole footballing public,” Riewoldt told AFL 360 on Tuesday night.

“It makes no sense to me that someone would come out and criticise someone that’s gone home to do something for their family.

“To then make comment and not even know what it is they’re going back for I think is a little bit irresponsible as well.

“I could not be more supportive of players and anyone choosing their family over their occupation. Every organisation out there I believe should grant someone leave if required to go home.

“The only people that will know they need to be together or leave their station would be the two players and their partners.

“For mine, definitely the right decision and a brave decision to leave with St Kilda right in the balance of finals but most importantly family comes first in every case for mine.”

Membrey has played more than 100 games for the Saints.

Wilson doubles down

As the backlash flowed her way, Wilson stood her ground.

“I will not apologise for basically saying what I think is a perfectly reasonable conversation,” Wilson said on the Don’t Shoot The Messenger podcast on Tuesday.

“They (the Saints) have had so many issues like this, in the view of people at the footy club … I would even question whether Seb Ross will be at the footy club next year.

“I think this is a legitimate story and a legitimate talking point.

“My point is, whether or not he was completely justified in doing what he did, this was a terrible time for the football club.

“Had Membrey and Ross been playing, I think they would have won the game and that is the view of most people in footy.

“If there’s a medical emergency, of course they shouldn’t be there and it’s only a game.

“My point here is, there was a blurred line in the minds of people in the AFL and St Kilda, if only Seb had decided to stay and play.

“We’ve all had those situations, but when you sign on to play AFL footy, I think you need to think pretty carefully about the contracts you’re signing and what you’re doing.”

Lyon goes whack

Garry Lyon is never one to hold back. Picture: Jason Edwards

Wilson wasn’t backing down. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

Footy legend Garry Lyon was one of the first to publicly bake Wilson, using his radio show to question her comments.

“So, Caro is suggesting she knows better than the Ross family? I would suggest that’s a conversation she would not want to have with Seb Ross’ wife and/or mother or family members that she has in her opinion said there are no medical problems,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast on Tuesday.

“How she can make a judgment on the family situation of a young mother with twins from afar and say, ‘Why didn’t they bow to peer pressure these blokes and stay?’

“I’m almost speechless with this one. To think you can sit there on national television and speak for the family, ‘I must stress there is no medical problem’. Oh really Caro? You stress that do you? You would know, would you?”

Lyon also reiterated the need for greater acceptance of sensitive issues around footy players.

“We are trying to have our minds around if a player says they need time out for whatever reason we go, ‘OK, there’s a great reason for that, we respect it, good luck’,” he said.

“If a player says they have a family issue, a baby pending, I need to be home — the footy world goes, ‘OK’. We’ve been conditioned to be much more empathetic.

“I’m almost speechless … they may need to take time away. It’s none of our business.

“If someone says they need to be at home with their family, good. We love you and we support you.

“Not, ‘Supporters, sponsors and everyone else is going to be disappointed with you’.”